Apparatus for the manufacture of coal-gas



(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 1. i J. J. THOMAS.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS. No. 443,153. Patented Dec. 28, 1890.

FIE]. Z

No ModeL) 5 Shets-Sheet 2.

J. J: THOMAS. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GOAL GAS. No. 443,153. Pata nted Dec. 23, 1890.

(No Model.) 5 -Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. J. THOMAS. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUPAGTURE 0F GOAL GAS. No. 443,153. Patented De0.23, 1890.

'(NO Mogl l.) 5 Sheets+-Sheet 4.

'JQJ. THOMAS. APPARATUS FOR'THE MANUFACTURE 0]? GOAL GAS.

N 443,153. Patent-ed Dec. 23, 18 90.

-(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheen;

J. J. THOMAS.

APPARATUS PORTHE MANUFACTURE OF GOAL GAS. No; 443,158. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

Fig. 5

Wit;

' UNITED V STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. THOMAS, OF ROXBOROUGII, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,153, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed March 31, 1890- Serial No. 346,070. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roxborough, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Apparatuses for the Manufacture of Ooal-Gas, of which the following is a specification.

The first part of my invention relates to improved methods of connecting two series or sets of retorts to two saddle-pipes, so that the gas of one set of retorts may at will be mixed with the gas of the other set of retorts and before the gas reaches the liquid seal in the hydraulic main; and it consists in the arrangement of a valve or gate located between the receiving-chambers of each series of retorts.

The second part of my invention relates to improved methods of charging two or more retorts at one and the same time; and it consists in a traveling car provided with separate pockets and a gate for each pocket in the series.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying into practice the invention, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which--- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bench of six retorts. The brick wall and dischargingdoor frame in front of the retorts on the left hand are not shown. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a bench of six retorts, showing the mixing-chambers, valve, and a section of the saddle-pipes. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 2 on the line Y Y. Fig. 4; is in part a vertical section of Fig. 2 on the line X X and showing a side view of the charging-car. Fig. 5 is a plan on the line V V of Fig. 1, showing the hot and cold air flues, part of the furnace, and bed of the right-hand lower retort.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A A A represent the retorts. These retorts are what is known as through-retorts, and I prefer two nine-foot retorts connected end to end, making an eighteen-foot retort. I also prefer to set them in the bench at an angle of about thirty degrees and one retort above the other, three retorts in a series.

B represents the door-frame, and O the door, on the coal charging and gas' discharging ends of the retorts. The frame and door at the coke-discharging ends of the retorts are indicated by letters B and C. These frames and doors are made of cast-iron. The doors are hinged to the frames, and where the door closes on the frame they are made gas-tight and are fastened by the usual appliances for fastening the lid or mouth pieces of gas retorts.

D represents the mixing -chambers, E the saddle-pipes, and F the division-valve. These parts may be made of cast-iron or other metal, if desired. The valve F is connected by a rod G, passing through a stuffing-box and connecting one end of the lever H. At the other end is a connecting rod J. On the lower end is a ring a. This ring hooks on the hook I) on door 0, when it is desired to keep open the valve F. a

M is the charging-car. This car, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, is divided into three chambers, one for each retort in the series to be charged by the car. Each chamber has a door or gate. (See dotted lines.) These gates are, by the bar IV, connected to handle N. The car M is hung on the axle of an overhanging railway-car, as shown in Fig. 4.

S, Figs. 1, 3, and 5, represent the cold-airflue openings.

P, Figs. 1 and 5, represents the furnace. The construction of furnace is as shown, and is well known to gas-engineers.

Previous to describing the operation of my invention I wish to say that it is well known to gas-engineers that the first runnings of gas are always rich in illuminating quality, but low of temperature, the last.- runnings poor in illuminating quality, but of high temperature, and that if the rich gas reaches the liquid seal at a low temperature it will not be a permanent gas, but will yield a larger per cent. of tar than when the gas passes the liquid seal at a high temperature. For this reason I have invented what I term a mixing-chamber between the two series of retorts, working them with four-hour charges, one set being charged two hours previous to the other, the communication with the mixing-chambers and two sets of retorts being controlled by a valve or gate between the two series of retorts, as will be hereinafter described.

The operation of my improved gas-generating apparatus is as follows: Fire is built, as usual, in the furnace P. The heat from this furnace circulates around the retorts in the llue R. These fines are the exit or draft-dues and lead to the chimney. The secondary or cold-air fines S open into the bench from the front. (See Figs. 1 and 5.) The cold-air fines are surrounded by the hot-air lines from the furnace. The cold air follows the direction of the arrows in Fig. 5, and enters the rear sides and back of the furnace I. The air, as it passes through the flues S, will be hot before it reaches the furnace, and it will sup ply the required amount of oxygen for a thorough combustion of gases in the furnace I, saving much fuel in heating the retorts.

To discharge the coke the valve F is first closed, the door (1" is opened, and the coke is discharged into a car or into a eoke-hole in front of the furnace. The door C is then closed and made tight, when the door 0 is opened and the charging-car M, which has previously been supplied with the quantity of coal to charge the three retorts, is run in so as to insert the carinto the mouths of each retort. The handle N is then pressed down, and this, through the action of bar V, will open the three gates in the car M, and the coal will by its own gravity be discharged into the retorts. The door C is then closed and made tight, the valve F is then opened, and the eye a of rod J hooked on the hook Z). This will allow the gas as it rises from the retorts last charged to mix in the chamber 1.) with the hot gas from the retorts that had been charged two hours previous, and the rich gas from the last-charged retorts will enrich the poor but hot from the first-charged retorts. At the end of two hours the valve F is closed and the other three retorts discharged of their coke and recharged with coal, when the valve F is opened, as before described, and the rich gas from the last-charged retorts mixed with the poor gas from the retorts charged two hours previous. It will thus be seen that I am enabled by my invention to mix the hot but poor gas with the rich gas of the last charged retorts before the rich gas reaches the liquid seal, making it a permanent gas, rich in illuminating power, and not so readily condensed into tar, and thereby robbingit of its illuminating powers.

In some cases it may be desirable to inease the whole or parts of the mixing-chambers and saddle-pipes with jackets and heat the same by hot-air from the furnace.

The drawings show the charging-car M suspended from overhead tracks; but it is obvious that the car may run on a floor-track.

The drawings show the car as charging retorts in one row of benches; but it is obvious that the car may be hung on aswivel, so as to turn, run between two rows of benches, and charge the retorts in both rows.

In the above I describe the charges as fourhour charges; but that is no part of my invention, as the charges may run four hours, more or loss, which will be governed by the quality of the coals and heat of the furnace.

II aving as above fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for making gas, the combination of two series of retorts,a mixing-chamber D, with intermediate valve F, and two saddlc-pipes, as shown, described, and for the purpose specified.

2. In apparatuses for charging retorts making coal-gas, a traveling chargingcar consisting of a series of fixed inclined pockets, in combination with a gate, one for each pocket, and a connecting-bar connecting and operating simultaneously all the gates, as shown and described.

3. In apparatuses for charging retorts maleing coal-gas, a traveling charging-earconsisting of a series of fixed inclined pockets, in combination with a gate, one for each pocket, as shown and described.

JOHN J. THOMAS. Witnesses:

JoHN SHINN, (firms. E. Pancoas'r. 

